All Fired Up
by TheGolurker
Summary: Team Flare has been dealt with, and Kalos has been saved! ...Now what? Battle-happy Trainer Solar attempts to find the answer to just that question. Inevitably, both action and hilarity are bound to ensue. (Now comes with actual plot and established characters!)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Back when I was writing The Chronicles of Azure, I said that I'd probably move on to write a Pokemon fanfic. And now is the time! For those of you who have perused my past works (and if you haven't yet, reading them would be great), this one will be a bit of a change of pace. How you ask? New third-person narrating style! A lot more humor! A lot less blood! Only a slim chance for tragic backstories! …So, now that you've got that knowledge safely stored away in your heads, go ahead and read on!**

_**Chapter 1: The End of a Flar-era**_

"Man… What to do now?…"

The young trainer looks up at the morning sky and sighs dejectedly. Despite the clear and sunny weather in his home city of Cyllage, his demeanor isn't anywhere near his usual upbeat self. Not even wearing his favorite Pyroar shirt is able to bring any semblance of cheerfulness. But really, who could blame him?

It's been a week since the menace of Team Flare had been put to an end. Peace has come to the Kalos region, but at a great cost to this adolescent. Solar lives for Pokemon battles, always searching for worthy opponents. He had hoped to raid Flare HQ himself and take down the boss, but the five heroes of Kalos already beat him to it. With the orange-suited eyesores neutralized and the region's saviors gone their separate ways, strong foes were significantly harder to come by. About the only places where he could find such opposition were tournaments he couldn't make or Kiloude City's Battle Maison, and everyone knows it's chock-full of cheaters.

Though not getting the life sucked out you is a great thing, the end of this chaotic era has essentially robbed the trainer of his purpose. After the grand celebratory parade took place, long aimless beach walks and contemplative musings have since become his routine (swimming was out of the question, partly due to his aquatic ineptitude, and partly due to the poisonous dragons infesting the waters). As the time passes, he and his Fire-typed team grow ever the more restless. He feels that if this boredom keeps on for long enough, he'll snap and try to bring about the end of the world just to mix things up a bit. But alas, Groudon is never there when you need him.

Instead, the boy resorts to taking a trip elsewhere. Lumiose City seemed to be the best destination, even if it meant getting lost for the umpteenth time or the slim chance of being rendered catatonic on the streets. After all, there was no shortage of things to do there; perhaps he could try and beat his high score at the Battle Institute again or finally convince that hair stylist to make him look like a Furfrou.

Grabbing his bike, Solar races off to the grandiose metropolis as fast as his red-sneaker-clad feet can take him. He is about to enter through one of the city's five gateways, when suddenly-

_CRASH!_

The bike flips once through the air, as the rider makes a not-so-graceful dismount.

"You should really watch where you're going, you moron!"

Looking up, he finds himself face to face with a girl in a gray-hued outfit with short blond hair. It only took a second for all this to register in the boy's mind, but it was a second too long for the other crash victim.

"Stop your inane staring and get off of me!"

He did as was requested, as the girl dusts herself off. She picks up the black fedora that had been knocked away from her head.

"Heh heh, sorry about that! Are you OK?"

Her glaring scowl was response enough. The most sensible thing to do at a moment like this would be to slowly walk away from the awkward silence and not risk further fueling the girl's rage. But the injurious incident appears to have broken what remnants of sanity the orange-capped boy has left, as evidenced by his next question.

"…So… You wanna battle?"

The monochromatically-clothed girl responds indignantly. "E-excuse me?! You run straight into me with your bike out of sheer ignorance, and now you want to ask me for some friendly competition?! What sense does that make?!"

"…I dunno, I just really want a battle. I've started going crazy this past week out of boredom!"

"I wholeheartedly believe that you already _have_ gone crazy! The answer is NO!"

And so she stormed out of the brick enclosure in a huff. But that course of action didn't deter that battle-crazed boy for a moment. He knows what he wants, and one way or another, he's going to get it. Solar trails along by the girl's side, pestering her with the same oft-asked question.

"Aw, c'mon, please?!"

"I already told you, NO!"

"C'mon! It'll be fun!"

"Back off, you idiot!"

The conversation, if one could even call it that, lasted like for what seemed to be hours, attracting the attention of both local and touring passersby. Up, down, left, right, the fedora-wearing female does her best to shake off her newfound follower in every alley and avenue, but to no avail. Within that span of time, the boy attempts to reach a compromise, while somehow managing to not get punched in the face.

"Uh, how 'bout this then! We'll only use three Pokemon each! Howzat sound?"

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: NO! Can't you get it through that thick head of yours?!"

One of the city's ubiquitous Fletchling suddenly swoops down from one of the many trees lining the streets, frantically pecking the heck out of Solar's head. While the orange-capped adolescent tries to swat the bird away, the gray-clothed girl makes full use of the opportunity to separate herself from her dogged pursuer, softly chuckling at the boy's misfortune. But her newfound respite fails to last longer than a few seconds.

"Hey! Wait! How 'bout just one then? It's not gonna take long, I promise! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!"

It was at the point the girl has had enough. This constant annoyance just had to stop. But against most onlookers' (hopeful) expectations, she decides to go about resolving it in the more civilized manner.

"…Very well! If it will shut you up, then so be it!"

The two of them had ended up at the city's heart as a result of the girl's evasion attempts, Prism Tower looming overhead. Funny how that worked out.

"All right! It's time! Let's show 'er what we're made of, Roarstrike!"

Without a moment to spare, Solar's Arcanine enthusiastically makes his entrance, howling at the now-midday sun with a healthy dose of flames. The girl is decidedly unimpressed.

"Hmph, I see. You're one of those nicknamers, huh? Honestly…"

"H-hey, now! What's wrong with that?!"

She sighed, "Nothing I suppose, just… predictable." Before her opponent could utter another word, she sent out her fighter. "Come on out, Sylveon."

The fiery canine wastes no time in charging forth at the flesh-ribboned foe at his trainer's behest.

_Roarstrike used Flare Blitz!_

Despite the 300 or so pounds of fuzzy fireball barreling toward them at breakneck speeds, neither the Sylveon nor her trainer lost their cool. But without any attempt made at dodging, the attack connects with full force.

"Hah! Whaddya think? Pretty strong, huh? Probably should've told ya this earlier, but I never hold back!"

Obscuring clouds of smoke hang in the air, accompanying a strange stillness.

"…Huh? Don't tell me it's over already!"

"As if, you conceited twerp."

The smoke clears revealing the pink Pokemon still standing, and Roarstrike crouching down in front, tail wagging and tongue drooping. Solar didn't need to see the hearts in his companion's eyes to know what just happened.

_Roarstrike fell in love with Sylveon!_

"Well well, what do we have here? Your Arcanine has become hopelessly enamored. And after that savage attack too. How charmingly cute. Now, allow me to… return the favor!"

_Sylveon used Return!_

The fire-breathing canine stumbled backward, taking his master by surprise.

_Sylveon was such in sync with its Trainer's wishes that it landed a critical hit!_

"Hunh?! Wh-what was that?!"

The monochrome girl crosses her arms. "If I were you, I wouldn't underestimate my opponents."

Solar responds back with a smirk. "That's a pretty good Sylveon, I must admit! But that's not gonna stop me! C'mon, Roarstrike, give 'em another Flare Blitz!"

_Roarstrike is in love with Sylveon! Roarstrike is immobilized by love!_

"Hey now! Snap out of it!"

The girl gives out another command, remaining as level-headed as always. "Let's put this lunatic in his place, shall we? Moonblast!"

The flesh-ribboned fairy gathers up energy, then lets it loose in one big ball of pink light. It shouldn't have been very effective, but apparently it was effective enough. Roarstrike has been brought to his knees.

"Heh, not bad, not bad! But it's not over yet!"

_Roarstrike is in love with Sylveon! Roarstrike used Extremespeed!_

_Sylveon fainted!_

"Phew! That was pretty fun!" He wanted to add "…Even if you cheated a bit." to his statement, but he wasn't about to look this gift Rapidash of a battle in the mouth. There would be no possible way of that ending well. "We should do this again some time!"

"Hmph, I believe I humored you enough for one day. Or one lifetime, for that matter." She called back her tired-out Pokemon without missing a beat. "Just know that if I had decided not to hold back… you wouldn't be quite as enthusiastic to face me again."

"Are those fighting words that I hear? Heh, guess we'll just hafta see about that next time!"

"_If_ there is a next time."

The two trainers are about to part ways, one vastly more eager to than the other, when Solar asks a question.

"By the way, can I ask what your name is?"

Still significantly irked, she takes a deep breath to compose herself. "I already told you, I've humored you more than enough. I've got better things to do right now. So long."

The fedora-clad female continues walking away, not for one second looking back. As for Solar, he simply stands there, somewhat dumbfounded.

"…A simple 'No' would've sufficed…"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2:**__**A Foolish Encounter**_

"…Now what?"

The young trainer finds himself at yet another predicament. Riding high on the coattails of his most recent victory, his craving for battle has only intensified. He considers continuing his tireless search around the rest of Lumiose, but every passerby seemed to deliberately keep their distance from him. Wonder why.

But persistent as he his, Solar doesn't let something like that get him down. While he thinks of how to track down his next worthy opponent, the boy stops by one of the city's many cafes. Now most normal people going there would stop by for a cup of coffee or tea, perhaps carry on a conversation or two, and just relax as the day wears on. But it should be obvious by now that this boy is anything but normal.

"Gimmeanotherone!"

"But, sir, you've just had 6 cups! You'll get yourself sick if you keep this up!"

"Idon'tcare!IjustwantmoremoremoreMORE!"

The orange-capped trainer hates even the slightest bit of bitterness. Therefore, in lieu of the usual choice of beverages, he opts to down a saccharine concoction consisting of equal parts cream and sugar. Calm down? Oh no. He frequents these establishments to rile himself up with sugar-induced hyperactivity. In fact, regular café-goers around the region know him as the Creamer King. Others just call him "that crazy kid."

Despite the trainer's overcharged demeanor, he manages to overhear a conversation taking place between a young man and woman. Both their clothing suggests they come from a highly affluent background.

"So, how is your progress going at the Battle Chateau? Have you finally risen a rank yet?"

"Unfortunately, no, still a lowly Baron. The Pokemon my parents gave me have yet to win a battle, actually. Man, some of those guys are _strong_!"

"Yeah, tell me about it. Did you ever face off against that SM guy? Sheesh, talk about tough. He looks like your common everyday Butler, but he's downright monstrous in battle!"

"Yep, I know him all too well. He trounced me a couple days ago."

"Sorry to hear that… So much for that whole 'Aqua Jet-ting to the top' thing, huh?"

"…Please, stop bringing up that metaphor again. It was embarrassing enough when I said it; when you do it, it's just downright humiliating…"

Like a Thunder from heaven, a stroke of brilliance came down upon Solar through his sugar-fueled craziness. The Battle Chateau, not all that far from his current location, sounds like just the suitable battleground he sought! Running out of there as fast as he can, Solar makes full use of this newfound excess of energy, going on a mad dash back through the gate he first entered to his new destination. His bike, still untouched from his previous less-than-graceful ride, remains abandoned; its owner is too consumed with a desire for battle to notice. Not surprising, considering he was too absent-minded to even remember to pay the relatively hefty bill for his signature drinks.

Soon he arrives at the fork in road right outside of Camphrier Town. The soothing atmosphere of the town he just passed through does nothing to abate the unbounded enthusiasm bursting from within, though. Due to this excitement, he ends up choosing the wrong path, finding himself right in front of the elaborately-furbished Parfum Palace.

"Hmm… This place got a lot shinier since the last time I was here…"

Blissfully unaware of his blunder, the orange-capped boy steps toward the lavishly-decorated castle, eager as ever to put his and his team's skills to the test. Until a sword flies in out of nowhere, landing less than half-an-inch from his face.

"Woah! What was that?! …A-Anyone lose this?"

"Fool! I am here completely of my own volition!"

Solar was no stranger to weirdness; he himself was practically the living embodiment of the concept. But the sight of a talking sword is enough to catch him off-guard. So much so, he almost trips over himself when backing away in sheer disbelief.

"Hunh?! You can talk?!"

"Fool! Of course I can! Do you take me for some run-of-the-mill Honedge?!" The sentient sword picked itself out of the ground, now floating at eye level with the befuddled adolescent. "What business do you have here?"

"I'm here to visit the Battle Ch-"

"Fool! Who said you could talk?!"

"But… you asked me a que-"

"FOOL!"

The boy has only been in contact with this babbling blade for a few seconds, but he already starts wishing to get away from it as soon as possible. Everything about it was just… annoying. So, how do you like the taste of your own medicine, protagonist?

"I already know what you're here for! You want to grace the doors of the Battle Chateau! But it appears you have taken a wrong turn!"

"Hmm… Well, I guess that explains it! …Uh, hey, talking Honedge, think you could show me the way there?"

"Fool! Did I give you permission to speak?!" The obnoxious blade pointed its sheath at the trainer, extremely close to his now-grimacing face. "But yes! I can! However! There are some provisions you must observe is you wish to acquire my assistance!"

"How many are we talkin' here exactly?"

"There are a total of 1000!"

Solar certainly wasn't a big fan of having to hang out with this speaking sword much longer, but he didn't really see any alternative. You know, like trying to look at a map or bothering to remember that he passed by the building earlier in the day. He begrudgingly agrees, offering a perfunctory handshake. But the blade abruptly backs away.

"Fool! Provision #679! Never, _ever,_ touch the tassel! Do want to have the life drained out of you?!"

"Ulp! N-no thanks! Not really in the mood to get my soul eaten today!"

With that sobering comment, the boy and the blade then depart from the palace grounds and back to the correct route.

The trip could only last for a few minutes at most, presuming a straightforward path, but the pesky Pokemon was able to find a way to make it seem a lot longer, as he led his somewhat-forced-along travel companion.

"You see, my legend begins in the 12th century! It was a tumultuous time, warring kingdoms and factions constantly vying for power! I, legend that I am, was wielded by none other than the illustrious King AZ! I was tasked with leading he and his men into battle, valiantly and without fear!…" The Honedge's story seemed to last for an eternity, either rehashing history as sung by minstrels across Kalos, or sharing the most asinine details about the proper way to dine in the palace. To Solar, the idea of getting one's soul sucked out didn't seem to be such a bad one right about now.

"…And then, in a fit of rage, the giant crystalline flower rises ominously from the depths of the earth, radiating its eerie beauty throughout the-"

"Are you almost done?"

"Fool! You're forgetting #717! Never interrupt me while I'm describing ancient catastrophes! Anyway! As I was saying…"

About a minute later, Solar's destination is within their sights. The babbling blade notices it just as much as he does, but it was far from done with its annoying antics.

"Now that we're almost there, I think it's high time that I treat you with a song!"

"…Oh no… Please no…"  
"AZ's Honeeeeeeeeeedge! AZ's Honeeeeeeeeeeedge! From the Kalos Region! I'm looking for battle! I'm going to that Chateeeeeeeeeaaau!"

It is at that moment, the boy runs frantically to the doorstep of the large building a few feet away. Needless to say, the singing sword immediately protests.

"Hey! Now hold on! We haven't even gotten to the five-hour storytelling party yet! You can't leave! Come ba-"

_Solar used Door Slam! It's super effective!_

**Author's Note: And so ends yet another chapter! I know I'm only a couple chapters into this thing, but please, tell me what you think! Feedback makes the writing world go round, after all! Keep on reading, faithful readers!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: One Heck of a Battler**_

"Welcometo the Battle Chateau."

Solar, having escaped the abominable entity that is AZ's Honedge, finds himself greeted by someone as soon as he enters the luxurious mansion. Said greeter is a tall, dark-haired man wearing a black formal suit. His attire is nothing out of the ordinary for this place, and his expression seems innocuous enough, but the smile this man wears has a faintly sinister air to it. But being still hyped up on sugar and annoyance-induced adrenaline, the orange-capped trainer remains unshaken.

"Hey there! I don't recall seein' you here before!"

"Well, naturally, sir. I have only recently begun employment here after the Chateau's recent change in ownership." The man takes a short pause, then continues on to make an inquiry. "Are you perchance the one known as Solar?"

"Uh, yeah, that is my name. Why do you ask?"

"Excellent." The formal-spoken man takes a small bow. "My master wishes to speak with you."

The flame-themed trainer follows along his suited escort, bewildered why a person he has never seen nor heard of before wishes to request his presence. In a matter of seconds, a veritable firestorm of thoughts bombard his creamer-addled mind. Was he finally going to be promoted to the title of Grand Duke? Did they need the help of his fire-typed team to power a light show for the ages? Was his amazing sense of humor needed to cheer up a little girl bedridden by boredom?

Quite the egotist, that one.

However, the boy isn't kept in the dark long about the true purpose of his beckoning. (And good thing too; I would not want have to write anymore of the inane, inflated mantras flowing through his mind than I absolutely have to.) "My master has heard many tales of your battling prowess. He wishes to put the skills that saved the region to the test, you see."

For a brief moment, the sprightly Solar is silenced. Interestingly, as egotistical as the trainer is, he refuses to take credit for deeds he hasn't done. "Hey, I'm flattered and everything, but I think you've got me mixed up with someone else! Sure I hated Team Flare for making my favorite color look bad and all, but I never actually took 'em down! I'm not the hero you take me for!"

"Nonsense. Such modesty is admirable, but there is really no need to deny it. Being requested by my master is a great honor, after all."

The orange-capped adolescent continues making ineffectual protests, but the black-suited man continues pushing him along. Soon the pair arrive at the back wall of the building, then stop. This only heightens Solar's confusion even further.

"Right this way, sir."

"Uh… OK, I guess…"

_BONK!_

_Solar hurt himself in confusion!_

"Ooowww…"

"Sir, I would advise you to wait until after I have cleared the way."

"Oh, I get it! Secret passage! Very cool!"

The man slowly raised up his right hand in a fist and took a deep breath. "…Not exactly."

_Mysterious Man used Brick Break!_

Needless to say, Solar was taken aback with shock, eyes widened as large as a Gastly's. Strength disproportionate to one's slender figure tends to have that effect on people.

"Now you may enter."

"O-O-OK!"

Sidestepping the newly-created rubble, the two walk forward into a grassy clearing. Off in the distance, there stands a small boy in ornate attire, complete with a large top hat and… an eye patch?

"Ah, there you are! Have you brought me the trainer I requested?"

With nary a word, the dark-suited man brought forward a still significantly scared Solar while taking a bow. However, the eye patched child is noticeably displeased. "And who is this exactly? This isn't the one I called for." The child's voice sounds stuffy and higher-pitched, as if affected by a cold. However, it seems fitting when taking into account his mildly androgynous appearance. Seriously, just stick him in a corset and frilly pink dress, and he could easily pass for a girl. …A creepy, standoffish girl, at least.

"Hmm? My lord, I do not understand. He matches the description you gave me. Long, light-colored hair, eager to seek out battle, and always seen wearing a hat of some sort."

"…My hair isn't that long…"

"He even matches the name you gave me: Solar. With all due respect, how could it not the person you asked for?"

"It's because… That is not the name I asked for earlier! Didn't you hear me? I said the name I was looking for was S-… S-… ACHOOOOO!" For such a small child, his sneeze was surprisingly loud. The Pyroar-shirted adolescent shudders in response, still jumpy from the wall-breaking spectacle he had witnessed. "Ah, never mind! What matters is, this is not the one I'm looking for!"

After hearing the child's apathetic and petulant rants, Solar was half-expecting the mysterious man to punch the kid square in the face into next week. But instead, the suited man gets down on one knee.

"My sincerest apologies, my lord. I have made a horrible blunder not befitting your butler. I fear I may not be atone for this mistake… I have not fulfilled your request…"

The sheer amount of humility coming from the same man who punched a hole through a solid brick wall completely takes the orange-capped boy off-guard. The top-hat clad child decides to give his servant a reprieve, while still maintaining a cold, callous tone. "Oh well, you can make it up to me by providing me some entertainment for this afternoon. This hyperactive idiot does seem to be quite the interesting character, regardless of his identity; go battle with him."

As soon as the child said those words, he lifts up his eye patch. Underneath it lays an eye shining with an eerie, purple glow. The butler quickly affirms the order.

"Yes, my lord."

Solar wastes no time in readying his battlers, but first asks a question.

"So! Who are you anyway, butler man? And how are we gonna do this?"

"You wish to know who I am? Very well. The name my master has given me is that of S Bastion Michaels. However, I am better known throughout this establishment by the initials SM. As for this battle, we shall use three Pokemon each, in accordance to our ranks. That is the only limitation."

Immediately, the battle-crazed boy dons an eager smirk. "I see! So you're the great SM person I've been hearing about! Heh, you may not have been looking for me, but I've been looking for you! I hear you're really strong, butler man! …But just one more question before we start. What's the S stand for?"

"Just S. Nothing more, nothing less. Now shall we get started?"

"With pleasure! …Weird… one-letter named guy. Now! C'mon out, Cloudburst!"

Solar's Ninetales make a graceful entrance, waving its nine tails. Simultaneously, the atmosphere around the battlefield grows brighter and warmer.

_Cloudburst's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

"Heh! Now you're playin' with fire!"

"A fine choice. Here's mine. Go, Pluto!"

Suddenly, a Furfrou three times the size of your average canine appeared on the scene.

"Wow! Impressive dog you got there! ...Heh. Cloudburst-"

"Use Flamethrower, Pluto!"

"Hunh?!"

_FWOOOM_! Flames erupt from the white-furred giant's mouth, completely engulfing the fox. …Or does it?

The smoke clears, revealing a Chandelure in the kitsune's place, blue flames burning brightly.

"Yikes! That was unexpected! Good thing Azurelight's Flash Fire kicked in though! So much for predicting a Normal-type attack… But that doesn't matter now! Azurelight! Fire Bla-"

Faster than the flames could fly, the giant Furfrou swiftly cut the attack off.

_Pluto used Sucker Punch!_

_Azurelight fainted!_

"Woah! That's one fast Furfrou! Heh, you really are good! But I know what you're up to! Go, Infernape!"

As typical for the others of his team, the monkey made a flashy entrance, crying out to the sky.

"Your illusions won't fool me any longer! Close Combat!

_S Bastion withdrew Pluto!_

_S Bastion sent out Chandelure!_

_It doesn't affect Chandelure…_

"You are not the only one proficient at switch tactics, Solar."

"Nice one! Guess we gotta kick things up a notch then! Use Swords Dance!"

"Will it be enough though?"

_Chandelure used Shadow Ball!_

The flame-haired chimp is blown back from the impact. But she doesn't go down just yet.

_Infernape hung on using its Focus Sash!_

"Oh yeah! Time to go on the offensive then!"

_Infernape used Shadow Claw!_

_A critical hit!_

_Chandelure fainted!_

"I must commend you for achieving a knockout. But this battle is far from done! Come back out, Pluto!"

Despite his Pokemon's dire condition, Solar is still as confident and smirk-y as ever.

"Now to take care of that big dog of yours, butler man! Close Com-"

_Pluto used Sucker Punch!_

_Infernape fainted!_

"Gah, almost forgot about that move! Oh well, this isn't over yet! I'm counting on you, Cloudburst!"

"Pluto! Use Dark Pulse!"

The white-furred canine howled, releasing a humongous wave of dark energy. But the Ninetales still manages to remain standing.

"Now, Cloudburst! Let's light 'em up!"

_Cloudburst used Overheat!_

The giant canine then stumbles back. It also starts to shrink down until it's about Solar's height, light shimmering and refracting off of it as it does.

_Zoroark's Illusion faded! Zoroark fainted!_

"Knew it! That Flamethrower at the start? Dead giveaway! How 'bout you bring out the real deal, butler man!"

"Very astute, Solar. But now my victory is all but assured. Come out, true Pluto!"

Strangely enough, the real thing was just as large as its illusionary counterpart.

"OK! OK! Time out! Where'd you find such a gigantic Furfrou?! (...I want one...)"

"…It's a very long story, and I doubt my master would appreciate me going into detail at this juncture. I am about to win, after all."

"Heh, guess we'll see about that! Cloudburst! Overheat!"

"Pluto! Retaliate!"

A copious amount of flames surround the kitsune, but that doesn't deter the dog from charging into said fireball of equal size. Pluto is soon engulfed with flames… But emerges victorious.

_Cloudburst fainted!_

The black butler recalls his Pokemon, showing no sign of losing composure. Solar, in the mean time, hangs his head in defeat.

"…Heh heh heh…. HAHAHAHAHA!" …And soon erupts into maniacal laughter. "That was great! I haven't had a challenge like that in a long time! I didn't even mind losing that one! You sure are one heck of a battler! A battling genius, I dare say!"

"…No." The butler makes another cordial bow. "You see… I am merely one _hell_ of a butler."

"…OK."

Now that the dust has settled, the eye patched child makes a few remarks. "That certainly was an amusing battle to watch. But as much as a rematch would be interesting to see, I have other matters to attend to at the moment. I still haven't even found that hero of Kalos yet… or had my dinner yet. Come, S Bastion."

"Yes, my lord."

The butler picks up his child master and leaps into the air, quicker than you can say "How the heck did you do that?!"

With his newest opponent off the scene, Solar slowly walks back through the Chateau, heading to the Pokemon Center to rest his exhausted team. But upon exiting the door, he finds himself face-to-face with someone familiar.

"Oh, it's you again."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: Natural Progression**_

"Hey! Long time, no see! Heh heh!"

"Sigh… Not long enough if you ask me. And before you say anything, I'm not battling you again, so don't ask."

Lo and behold, the monochrome girl and battle-happy boy once again cross paths. What a cosmically contrived coincidence. But in the wake of the his recent encounter with the battling butler, Solar is (for once) not seeking competition.

"Relax, I'm actually on my way to the Pokemon Center right now. Just battled this really strong guy and need to heal up! …So, what are you doin' here?"

Upon hearing these words, the girl is significantly relieved. Looks like she isn't going to have to resort to Sky Uppercutting the boy in the face after all.

"Like I said last time, I had some other business to attend to."

"Here at the Chateau?"

"Yes, does that surprise you?"

"A bit, yeah. Considerin' how much you tried to get away from me the last time, I didn't think you were that much into battling…"  
An indignant expression surfaces on the fedora-clad female's face.

"Well, excuse me! After getting caught in a bike crash and running all around the region's largest city, no person would be in the mood!"

"You can't say that! I still wanted to!"

"Let me rephrase that; any _normal_ person would not be in the mood. Now if you'd excuse me, I have an appointment to keep."

The monochrome girl starts to saunter off to the Chateau, but not before failing to evade one last inquiry.

"You know, I never got your name back there. Mine's Solar, in case you were wondering."

A brief pause hangs in the air while the girl ponders whether to share her moniker or not. Much to the relief of the boy, narrator, and possibly the readers, she decides to go against her better judgment and lets it be known.

"I'll probably regret this later, but fine. I go by the name Bijoux."

"French word for "jewels", huh? Nice name!"

"Oh yes, it means _so_ much hearing it from you, _Solar_. (Honestly, what were your parents thinking?) …But thanks anyway, I suppose."

With nary another word, the girl makes her way inside the building, while, the orange-capped adolescent rushes back to Camphrier Town's Pokemon Center. About a half-hour later, with his team of Fire-typed fighters all healed up, Solar once again sets out to find another worthy opponent.

As soon as he exits the center, he hears an interesting tune somewhere close by. The music starts off enigmatically creepy, but soon transitions into a more cheery and harmonious melody. It grows louder and then fades, as if the source of it is on the move. The first thought that passes through Solar's now-somewhat sane mind is "where can I get cool theme music like that?!" …Actually, scratch that sane part. In any case, the music appears to come from a mysterious figure walking past.

Said figure is significantly taller than our protagonist (though really, given his stature, it isn't really saying much), sporting a long scruffy ponytail made of green hair under a black-and-white cap. As if to further this entity's enigmatic nature, a Rubik's Cube is chained around this figure's waist. Given the unique appearance, Solar figures this person just_ has_ to be someone strong! And so the boy trails behind. Taking into account the whole debacle at Lumiose, the adolescent attempts the stealth approach, so as to not scare away his soon-to-be competition. Personally, this just seems to be a case of delaying the inevitable, but what do I know? I'm just a narrator.

The boy soon finds himself once again traversing down the path leading to Parfum Palace. Suppressing his usual hyperactive personality, Solar manages to remain hidden by ducking behind the several bushes lining the pathway. All appears to go smoothly until-

_POINK!_

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A particularly ticked-off Venipede lands a very painful Poison Sting on the boy's backside. Sure that may seem pretty bad, but at least it could've been worse. It could've been a talking sword.

Meanwhile, his target takes notice of the ear-splitting scream and turns around. But seeing no probable source of the high-pitched yelp after a couple seconds, the green-haired figure resumes his original course. Undaunted, Solar continues his Pursuit, albeit with a significant limp. He keeps this up until his unsuspecting mark arrives in the palace's posterior garden, who then proceeds to utter some nostalgic words in front of a statue of Reshiram. The speaker simultaneously taps on the Rubik's Cube and the music apparently emanating from it changes to a more somber tune.

"This sure brings back memories… I wonder where you went, Hil. After every you've done for me, I just want to be able to thank you in person. That's the truth."

The green-haired man then makes his way over to the image of Zekrom further back.

"And you, old friend. How are things going for you? You certainly seemed to have resonated with that other Trainer with the crazy hair. What kind of adventures are you going on now?"

All the while, the orange-capped kid listens in, not understanding a single thing this man said. So he does what any battle fanatic with poison coursing through his veins would do.

"Hey there, green-haired guy! Why are you talking to those dragon statues?" He utters sentences that most people would never have the opportunity to say in their lifetimes.

"Oh, don't mind me, I was just thinking out lou-" The man turns around to see Solar's face, slightly tinged a sickly purple. "Uh, you don't look so good. You might want to see a doctor or something…"

"N-nonsense! I'm plenty good looking!"

"...Uh, that's not exactly what I-"

"In any case, I was hoping to battle! And as you can see, my team is rarin' to go!"

Solar sends out his Charizard, who in turn lets out an enthusiastic roar to prove the point.

"…Well, your Charizard certainly is ready for a fight. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I cannot oblige. Or rather, this one isn't really in the mood."

Bursting forth from the crystal clear moat behind Solar is a Gyarados, forcefully lifting its head out of the water. However, the sea serpent contradicts its species' ferocious reputation, sporting a strangely sad look in its eyes. It lets out a dejected whimper, revealing a bicolor stone resting in its mouth. The green-haired man then continues to speak.

"You see, he has gone through quite a traumatic experience little over a week ago. One moment, he remembers the walls and ceiling crumbling all around him. And he next, he finds himself in the hands of another trainer in a town filled with stones. Luckily, said person was a kind-hearted individual wanting to find him a good home. However, in the process, he found out that his former trainer of many years could no longer care for him, almost certainly dead due to the wall-crumbling event… The kind-hearted one who took him in then came across my path not too long ago. I was asked to care after this poor Gyarados in her stead and I willingly obliged. I plan to return him to his home soon, but for now, he just needs someone to comfort him. I'm hoping that reminiscing about my past here in this beautiful garden will help him recover."

It takes a few moments for this information to register in his poison-addled mind, but then, in usual Solar fashion, he asks yet another question.

"Wait a sec… How do you know all this?! You some kind of mind reader?!"

"Hmm? No, it's nothing like that. Gyarados just told me, that's all."

"Really?! You can talk to Pokemon?! That's so cool! How'd you learn to do that?!"

The green-haired man was about to share his own tragic tale, when suddenly a loud upbeat and sinister-sounding tune permeates the atmosphere.

"Night Slash!"

Out of nowhere, a Bisharp makes a swift swipe at the flying fire lizard, doing some considerable damage. The attacker is soon followed by three nigh-identical figures, each sporting the same dark gray midriff-bearing outfits and long white hairdos.

"We thought we'd find you here, N!"

"You three?! What're you doing here?!"

The center member of the trio spoke up alone. "It's high time you answered for your actions against him! Ghetsis took you in and raised you as his own, same as us! And yet you chose to betray him! After everything he did for you!"

The leftmost one continued, "You may not have been the one to defeat him, but your interference was what ultimately brought about his demise! You were the one who ultimately drove his mind mad! …And you were the one that ultimately killed him!"

The rightmost member gets in one last laconic declaration. "It's time for you to pay!

Before either cap-wearing trainer could express their confusion of the shadowy triad's statements, the attackers send out more of their combatants, one Absol and one Accelgor.

"Hey, I don't know who you guys are, but you can't just go around attacking everyone! C'mon Hyperion! Give 'em a… Heat… Wav-"

Solar is swiftly overcome with a light-headed feeling, making him fall to the ground. Apparently that Venipede's poisonous sting was taking its toll. Well, either that, or it's the world's most horribly-timed sugar crash. The orange-capped adolescent looks up, vision blurred, as the trio's Pokemon start wreaking havoc against his Pokemon and the greenery. Hyperion attempts to carry out his Trainer's order, but the opposition dodge it easily and counterattack. It seems that nothing in the vicinity is able to stop them now, until…

_RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAUUUUUUR!_

An high-pitched inhuman battle cry pierces the air. Leaping in from above with a flash of rainbow-colored light, a giant dark blue deer with X-shaped pupils makes an entrance. Upon closer look, Solar spot a familiar face riding on its back; it's none other than the fedora-clad female he had encountered twice already. But despite his curiosity, Solar can't stay aware for much longer. But before he slips completely into unconsciousness, one last thought goes through his orange-capped head. It actually has some semblance of sanity this time around.

"_Bijoux?! Just who in the world are you?!"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Whew! How long has it been since I've last updated? Too long. I blame college finals. Funny how I can write all these stories and yet still struggle to come up with enough words for a research paper. Oh well, what's done is done and you probably don't care about that. Given that it's already past, neither do I. And on that note, here comes the next chapter!**

_**Chapter 5:**_ _**The Shining Jewel**_

"…What's going on?" The boy finds himself in what seems to be a dark tunnel. At the end of this corridor appears a light, constantly shifting through all colors of the spectrum. "A light? What's up with that? …Am I… dead? …No, it couldn't be…"

He wanders further toward the light, driven by some subconscious instinct. Slowly, but surely he draws ever closer, not really thinking, just doing (not that it's any different from how he usually does things). Soon enough, he finds himself face-to-face with the mysterious luminance. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Solar tentatively reaches out his hand…

…And is swiftly met with a sharp pain on one side of his face.

_Bijoux used Wake-Up Slap!_

"OWWWWW! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!"

"See that? Sometimes the simplest solution is the best!"

"…If a bit painful. I don't think you really had to hit him that hard…"

Solar sits back up, face stinging from the sleep-breaking slap, still confused over what just happened. And as typical for the boy, more inquisitive queries flood forth from his mouth. "What happened me? Where are the guys who attacked us? …And Hyperion! Ah! Is Hyperion OK?! Please tell me he's OK!"

"Don't worry, you can rest easy." The green-haired trainer gestured up to the sky. "He's just stretching his wings a bit after I patched him up." Right on cue, the flame-tailed flyer came into view, belting out a couple ecstatic roars while slicing through the skies.

"Phew… That's a huge relief! Thank you so much!"

While the boy settles back down, the monochrome girl takes her chance to speak up. "So, N, was it? How exactly did you manage to heal that Charizard of his? I didn't see you use any healing items back there."

"Oh that? Nothing special, really. Just something I've learned by living in harmony with these wonderful creatures. If you have the time, I could probably even teach you how. But what's really impressive is that Pokemon you battled alongside. The power of the legendary Xerneas is truly a sight to behold." Though clearly in awe of the X-eyed deer, N still casually strokes its lowered muzzle without batting an eye.

Upon hearing that statement, the orange-capped adolescent remembers his last thought pre-blackout. "Hey, hold on a sec! That's the legendary Life Pokemon?! How'd you manage to get a Pokemon like that?! I can't think of any way… Unless…"

Knowing her charade as just another trainer has fallen, the blonde decides to reveal her true identity. "Very well then, I guess there's no hiding it now. …My full name is Serena R. Bijoux and I am one of the five heroes of Kalos." For the first time in his life, Solar is rendered speechless, in no small part due to the fact that he had in fact battled one of the five saviors of the region. "Now, to answer your other questions, it seems you had a pretty nasty run-in with a Venipede. Luckily for both of us, I managed to have an Antidote and pair of tweezers on hand. As for that trio of thugs that attacked us, I handily dealt with the likes of them with the help of Xerneas here. They really aren't all that tough to deal with if you know what you're doing; the real challenge is stopping them from disappearing after defeat. In any case, that still leave one thing unanswered… N, who were those people?"

The green-haired man once again took a more somber expression, with ambient music to match.

"It's a long story, but in short, those three are the loyal servants of Ghetsis: The Shadow Triad. Like me, they were taken in and raised up by that man back in the Unova region. But the truth was, we and the rest of Team Plasma were merely used as a means to further his own selfish ambitions. Though some of us did sooner than others, by the time all his plans had been well and truly foiled, we had all turned our backs on our previous actions. All of us, except them that is. No matter what anyone may say, those three remain fanatically devoted to him."

"Even after his death?"

"Apparently so, Bijoux. Or should I call you Serena? The one thing I don't get though is, last I heard of him, Ghetsis was still alive. I'm not really sure what happened in regards to that, nor what the Triad intends to do now."

The monochrome girl ponders N's words for moment and sighs. "Well, I guess it's absurd to think we'd get all the answers right away… And that leaves us with three costumed mischief-makers wandering around to wreak havoc… However, I think I might know just the person that might be able to help us. This way, N…, Solar."

Without delay, the newly-formed trio traverse back down familiar paths, soon arriving at the gates of Lumiose once more. The orange-capped trainer, not one to keep silent for long, attempts to strike up another conversation.

"So… Bijoux. Why'd you try to hide you identity anyway? I don't really get it, ya know! You're one of the 5 heroes, for cryin' out loud! If I were you, I'd walk around with my head held high!

An awkward quietness yet again passes through the air. That seems to happen a lot, for some reason.

"Well, no surprise there, I'd certainly expect those words from someone like you. But I'm not really like that. Sure, the parade was nice, but after everything that happened, I just felt that I wanted to have a fresh start. A new beginning. So I got a haircut, put together a new outfit, and started going by my last name."  
"But you saved countless lives! Why would you turn your back on something like that?"

"…Believe me, I have my reasons for obscuring my identity. But that's besides the point. You don't need all the fame and glory to be a hero. Just a desire to help people, and the will to take initiative towards that goal."

"…Wow, that's pretty deep. Guess that's why you're the hero."

The group soon arrive in Rouge Plaza on the north side, at which point, Serena leads them down a narrow alley. She then walks through a brown-framed doorway.

"Hello again, Calem. It's me again, Serena."

In the back of the room is an disheveled adolescent wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and wrinkled jeans, sitting on a revolving desk chair. And when I say "sitting", in this case, it means squatting on top of the cushion akin to a Froakie on a lily pad. He is also munching away on a slice of cake. Upon hearing the girl's words, he responds in a somewhat creepy monotone voice.

"You should be more careful about using our real names… That's why we have code names. Need I remind you, Rainbow Antlers?"

Solar did his best to stifle a laugh, which was not very effective. "Pfft-haha! R-Rainbow Antlers?! "

"Well, at least it was a step up from Tongue Scarf. I've stopped wearing scarves ever since."

The green-haired trainer, bewildered, asked, "Was he always like this?"

"Actually, no. His eccentric qualities arose when he got his code name-"

"Looker! That is what you must address me as!"

"He was originally going to go with Bacon Wings, but given the real Looker passed him the baton after that Essentia case, he went with that."

Both Serena and N sigh with exasperation, but Solar is completely enthralled by this sweet-toothed agent. But before he could about what his code name would be, the monochrome girl explains to Calem all the events that transpired.

After hearing her account, the dark-haired detective bites down on his thumb and proceeds to spout some obligatory exposition that would hopefully shed some light on the wisest course of action.

"Ah, yes, the Shadow Triad. I've done my share of research on them. Slippery bunch, I'll give them that. Seriously, they help freeze an entire city solid and just disappear without a trace. I'm afraid not even my predecessor could succeed in tracking them down. If they are motivated with a desire to avenge their late master, it's likely they would try to bring his plans to fruition in his stead. Given Kalos's lack of giant asymmetrical ice dragons, the local Abomasnow population would be the next best thing." Calem rises from his chair and poses an inquiry from a nonchalant slouching posture, "Who's ready to head to Snowbelle City?"

Naturally, Solar responds in a manner befitting a hyperactive, Fire trainer.

"Man… I hate the cold…"

**Author's Note: Oh hey! What's that I spot? An actual plot! Yay! …However, that matter is of little importance compared to last night's earth-shattering, ocean-flooding news! Who's psyched for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire! Yes, people, for those of you who don't know or are skeptical until now, the long-awaited Ruby and Sapphire remakes are here! AWESOME!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hello once again, faithful readers! My apologies on the relatively long span of time since last update… Let's just say there's been a lot of things on my mind in recent times and leave it at that. In any case, read on and enjoy!**

_**Chapter 6: Santalunatic Respite**_

It was about half an hour after they departed from the convoluted streets of Lumiose that the quartet of trainers arrived in the town of Santalune. They were on their way to Snowbelle City, the presumed location of the Shadow Triad, but despite the urgency of their mission, they somehow found the time to take a break at one of the local cafes. Undoubtedly, the sugary cravings of both Solar and Calem were to blame for this sidetrack.

Once the waiter had taken the group's orders of green tea, lemonade, creamer, and sugar-saturated coffee, the flame-haired trainer, talkative as ever, takes the opportunity to spark yet another conversation.

"So… Serena R. Bijoux, huh? Pretty name, but it's a bit of a mouthful… Can I just call you R?"

The monochrome girl sighs exasperatedly. "I'd say no, but I doubt that would stop you."

"Anyway, I was wondering… What are some of your other Pokemon! I mean, Xerny's pretty powerful, no denying that, but what about the rest of your team? Surely one of the five heroes of Kalos has a truly formidable force of fighters to back her up!"

"Well, they all are highly competent, but not really what you would call competitive. I've seen so many trainers out there, not unlike you, who's purpose in life is battling. Constantly obsessed with optimizing their battlers, spending every last modicum of their energy to make their team that little bit faster, that little bit stronger, that little bit better. I'm not like that. I see Pokemon for the beings they are and bond with them." N, sitting to her left nods silently in approval. Solar, on the other hand, is more audible with his thoughts .

"Trust me, I've seen those guys too, so focused on victory that they just stop having fun. But I don't see anything wrong with bettering your team's abilities. I've trained every single one of my team to be the best they can be, but it's not like I think of them as tools!"

"I can't speak to them like N here, but even I can tell that they like have you as their Trainer. So, yes, there isn't anything wrong with that. However, battling isn't everything you know. My Dragalge is a perfect example of that."

Serena grabs a Poke Ball from her bag and releases said poisonous sea horse… dragon thing. Strangely enough, it doesn't seem to have any problems being on dry land, instead just floating ever-so-slightly off the ground. The rest of the group listen on intently as she continues on.

"You see this girl here? She was given to me by a friend of mine back when I was just starting out my journey. Many people don't like using those of her kind because other Pokemon are "statistically superior", but she's been my side ever since she was a Skrelp."

Just then, the waiter returns to the table, bringing the bevy of requested beverages with him. The casually-dressed Calem quickly snatches his ultra-sweetened coffee with extreme speed. He then poses an inquiry to his fellow Kalosian hero.

"Oh yes, that's right, you told me about him before! I've been meaning to ask for a while, whatever happened to him?"

A momentary silence once again hangs in the air, as if to prelude an ominous and mysterious answer… but it doesn't.

"Well, last I heard of him, he said he was returning to his home in the Hoenn region. I actually plan on going myself, but the next available flight isn't until November. It seems like a lot of people are all of a sudden just itching to visit, which is weird. Ever since that Magma and Aqua incident about a decade ago, nothing really out of the ordinary has happened there. I just hope they don't rise up again like this Shadow Triad we ran into."

Sipping his creamer-filled cup, the flame-haired teen asks yet another question. "Sounds like you're quite familiar with the place. I take it you've been there before?"

"I have actually. Hoenn is my home region as well. Though strangely, he and I never actually met until arriving here in Kalos."

"Wow, that is strange! Heh, it's almost like you two were avoiding each other or something! How did you even manage that? Oh, wait! Better question! How good of a battler is he?!" …It should be obvious right now that the fiery trainer is once again all hyped up on sweets. Though reluctant, Serena decides to actually dignify the inquiry with a straight response.

"I'll admit, he's a pretty good battler, but when we first started our journeys here, I'd kick his butt all the time. I must say, it was fun beating him down after every time he vowed to win! …But then he somehow attained the Pokemon of Victory which he had been obsessed with for the longest time and proceeded to V-Create my entire team. In the face."

"Ouch. That's gotta hurt. But now I really wanna battle this guy! That settles it! Once this whole Shadow Triad thing is taken care of, I'm heading there as soon as possible! Heh heh, just wait. I'm coming for you, …uh… Hold on, what's his name?"

The monochrome girl pauses to think for a moment before speaking. "…Actually, that's a good question. For some reason, he never uses his real name, but with that crazy hat of his, he isn't hard to spot."

Immediately intrigued, the disheveled detective seems to have found a kindred spirit in the art of aliasing. "Ooh… Sounds like he's a man of many names! You never told me this before! Is he some sort of secret agent? What kind of monikers did he go by?"

"Well, the one I remember him telling me about was the one he used back in Hoenn. I kid you not, back then he went by-"

_KABOOM!_

A loud explosion emanates from the Santalune Gym, which instantly puts the group on high alert. However, the burst of resulting adrenaline dies down upon spotting a young trainer holding an unconscious Voltorb walking outside the remarkably unscathed building. Apparently someone was feeling a bit Selfdestructive.

"Well… there you go, I guess."

Solar, bewildered, asks, "What? I didn't hear what you said over the huge boom."

Once again, the gray-clothed girl sighs in exasperation, that for once, doesn't appear to be directed at the creamer-loving kid. "Well that's the thing, he actually went by the name 'KABOOM!'. He kept insisting that it was spelled in all capital letters and three silent exclamation points. …Yeah, he certainly was a peculiar one, not unlike you."

Serena lets out a nervous laugh, with both the hyper and eccentric trainers following suit, albeit more enthusiastically. The green-haired man with the green-hued tea, however, remains silent and contemplative. The flame-haired boy, not one to allow solemn moments to last very long, tries to cheer the quiet one up, wearing a joyful smirk.

"Hey there, you can laugh with us, too! We won't mind!"

"…Oh, I know. …It's just that hearing all this conversation just reminds me of the friend I had met before in Unova. I have no idea where Hil went, but hopefully one day we will meet again."

Not losing even a remote bit of his upbeat demeanor, the fiery trainer continues his encouragement. "You know what, N? I'm confident it'll happen! Seriously, you go and make this much effort trying to reunite with your friend, there's no way that it won't!"

"…You really think so, Solar? Truth is, I don't think that Hil even knows that I'm out on this journey, searching. I mean, I'm doing everything I can, but still… How can I be sure that my efforts aren't in vain?"

The hot-blooded and hyperactive adolescent then proceeds to display a surprising amount of profound wisdom, much to the disbelief of the group. "Ya know, the way I see it, if this person is really your friend, they'll know that you'd want to be with them. They'll know that you're trying your hardest to contact them again. I really don't know why this Hil just up and left, but you're friends, and from the sound of it, close ones at that. With a bond that strong, I have no doubt in my mind that you two will meet again!"

After some silence and perfunctory blinking, a small grin soon surfaces on N's face. "Thanks, Solar, I really needed to hear that. Guess I just need to keep on searching for a while longer." N takes one last sip of his tea, before standing back up. "But first things first, there's work to be done. I'm not about to let Ghetsis' influence ruin even more people's lives. The Triad needs to be stopped."

And on that note, the quartet of trainers treads forward once more, on their way to their snowy destination, much to the Pyroar-shirted boy's chagrin.

…_About ten minutes later, the waiter returns to the table when the group had sat to collect the tab. A fountain of rage wells up inside him, but soon fades away to subdued exasperation. _

"Sigh… Why does this sort of thing always happen…"


End file.
